A hope's fulfillment
by John 'Doc' Holliday
Summary: This adventure occurs 1,000 years after the fall of Galbatorix. Since then Eragon has created the Haven, the riders home, on the island where the Elves and the Urgals first came from. some Urgals and a religious splinter cell of Elves remain.
1. Trainees and Troubling News

Trainees and Troubling News

The stars seemed to spin faster around his head than they did the last time. _Damn it!_ Gregory cursed; _she always gets the best of me._ 'She' was Ïlethiæ, one of the Elven riders at the haven, and one of Gregory's friends.

_Little one!_ A voice seemed to boom across the exercise field.

"Heh! She really got you that time." A deep voice mirthfully proclaimed, chuckling followed.

"I'm fine Cuaroc!" Gregory grunted as he finally straightened out his vision.

"You must have got knocked on the head really hard this time, Gregory." The voice echoed.

Gregory squinted to see not Cuaroc, his dragon, but Beloth that mirthful little Dwarf who always bests him at the game of bows. "Okay, so I let my guard down again."

Ïlethiæ finally speaks up "I am not some maid to be coddled! You would be wise to remember that Gregory." Her eyes seem to twinkle with every word, contradicting the threat in her words

_That's exactly what I don't understand about elves._ Thought Gregory crossly. _They are your enemies one moment and your friends the next._ He shook his head in annoyance.

A molar shaking pounding came swiftly upon the three riders. It was Cuaroc in all of his radient color. The twisting red and gold that seemed to have no goal, no pattern. It cascaded down his neck, along his body, and then twisting into his tail. _Little one._ He boomed using his mind only. _Why do you torture yourself like this?_

_Why, Cuaroc, do you wrestle Cadin when you know he is better than you?_ Gregory pointely fired back.

_Why to get stronger, hatchling._ Cuaroc started rumbling now, and let his voice drop to represent his chilly mood. His brilliant eyes said don't go there.

"You know I hate that name!" Protested Gregory with both his mind and voice.

Cuaroc just stared with unblinking eyes. Snorting he added, _we are all required in the hall_.

Gregory passed it on and asked Beloth if he was aware where Zack and Naton were.

"No, but they should be on their way just like us." Beloth retorted in his normal mirthful mood.

Ïlethiæ seem to be gliding forward, her swiftness unmatched. Beloth and Gregory headed to the hall in a lazy fashion. Cuaroc shook his head in disgust for their slowness and took off to fly toward the hall. As the trio neared the hall, more riders and their dragons appeared. Cadin swooped in to join Cuaroc in a race to the hall. _This must be huge, if all the riders are being called._ Gregory mused in his silent fashion.

Cuaroc chimed in, _They will tell us what is transpiring in due time, little one. _He was even more anxious then Gregory. Beloth seemed to know all about it. Then again, nothing seemed to phase that Dwarf. He was the grandson of the great king Orik of the Igneitum clan. Orik is the adopted brother of Eragon a honorary member of the Igneitum clan. Some people say it was favoritism that got Beloth here, but Gregory knew it was that Cadin had chosen Beloth to be his rider and no one else could have caused that.

One of the youngest riders who had just arrived to Alalëa came sprinting up and in a panting voice said "There is war in Alagaësia! They are choosing riders to go and fight. Also they are discussing the disappearance of the rider Rio and her dragon, and the disappearance of Eragon and Saphira!"

"What?" Ïlethiæ bellowed "Eragon has disappeared! How is that even possible?"

"This is troubling news." Beloth muttered. "How can war appear just as the greatest rider disappears?"

Zack lumbered up shouting "It's not just that, every urgal in Alagaësia is gone!"

Naton was with him, "Troubling indeed. This stinks of Galbatorix; if he wasn't dead I would say this is his craftsmanship." He received a questioning look from the giant beside him. "Trust me Zack, I know that king, he was my focal point of study." Erebus landed quietly next to his rider. As Naton stroked Erebus' chin, Erebus rumbled slightly. "I think we've got it!" Naton shouted. The group didn't even ask why Naton said we, because they knew that he and Erebus were so close they thought for each other. "Murtagh goes missing. Eragon is pulled by the same force that is why Arya came through, she was looking for them!"

"Quite possible Naton." Gregory mused, "but we shall see, once they tell us what is going on inside."

Beloth, nearly forgotten, chimed in, "What of Rio? What happened to her?"

_Like Gregory said, we shall see,_ Cadin intoned to all present.

"But why should we have to wait through those dreadful lectures, just to hear the news. Just tell us so that we may battle! Zack was in a foul mood since sparring was cancelled for him. Zack lived for sparring, anything physical, he thrived off of it. His dragon felt the same way.

Naton loved to spar mentally and verbally. Slight of build and tall, his brain had more power than every muscle in his body. He was adept of magic, a polar opposite of Zack, but they were fast friends. "Why Zack without that information, combat would be a mess."

"Combat is messy! That is the point; you're supposed to remove limbs Naton!" These arguments could go on for hours if uncorrected.

_Quiet!_ Viroc bellowed, he was Ïlethiæ's dragon, mighty and impatient. _You will listen to the elders little ones!_

As the twelve elders, six dragons and six riders mounted the stage the field grew deathly quiet. Their voices seemed to meld into one voice, "We have some most disturbing news. War and division has broken out on the mainland. We are sending every rider except for five teachers, ten warriors and students unable to fight. Cuaroc the elder will stay behind as the guardian." The silver giant nodded in agreement. "Also on the news of the three legends and the missing rider." Everyone diverted their gaze to the elders. "It is being investigated, for we have no headway currently." "Now refer to the list to see who stays and who goes."

Beloth was already reading it. "Those dirty rot gut scoundrels!"

The tirade shocked Gregory, he never heard Beloth so vehement about anything.

Zack leaned in and saw what caused the cursing from the little Dwarf. "Barzûl." The giant's curse was barely a whisper.

Thern the entire group saw the trouble, they had to stay and defend the Haven. Even Ïlethiæ let loose a stream of elven curses. This was bad news to all. But Gregory's beloved teacher Ïzvohg, the Urgal, told him in his low gravely voice. "You are the best warrior I know of, that is why you must stay. If we fail in our endeavor who will teach the next generation? Surely not the five! They are place holders. It falls on you and only you. Now do you five understand your duty?"

The five students nodded in agreement all equally humbled. With heavy hearts they watched their fellow riders, mentors, and friends fly off into the sunrise.


	2. Hunting and Being Hunted

Hunting and Being Hunted

"It's been a whole month and we have heard nothing! For all we know they are dead at the bottom of the sea!" Zack bellowed, his voice grating against his throat.

Beloth immediately leaned over and pounded on a tree. "Knock on wood."

Beloth had taken some human sayings to heart 'knock on wood' was one of them. Gregory wasn't sure if he was serious. That impish little grin belied everything that Dwarf said.

Ïlethiæ glared and even seemed to hiss at them. "Quiet you two, look below." As they peered over the edge they saw an enormous mountain wolf.

"Come after me, I'll get him." With that cryptic order Beloth leaped head first after the wolf. As he landed on the wolf the group saw all he had was his hunting knife, no more than a needle to this wolf. But he didn't use his knife, instead he used to wait to snap the wolf's neck. However the wolf still had some life in him and took off like a shot. The group soared off after them anxious not to lose another rider, another friend. Cadin lead the pack in his speed.

As they arrived they heard Cadin give a mental shout to wake the dead, _FOOL! You could have gotten us killed!_

"I'm sorry Cadin, but I need a little fun now and then." Beloth shrugged and continued to peel the meat. As the riders ate the wolf they heard the ominous thumping of a Kull. Not much thought was given to the footsteps, because the Urgals were relatively peaceful.

A grunting noise was made behind them and they leisurely turned only to see a Kull in full battle dress, "You must die infidels" It grunted. Even for five riders a Kull is a challenge to take down. Zack charged it headlong while Ïlethiæ and Beloth went for the legs. Gregory leapt into the air as a fourth distraction while Naton and the dragons engaged it on the mental and magical fields. The Kull batted away the Elf and the Dwarf as if they were his sons toys, threw Gregory into a tree breaking four ribs, and then tackled Zack. Before the Urgal could slice open Zack's throat, Naton and the dragons broke its neck with magic. This entire encounter took less than five painful seconds.

As they took a moment to examine and heal their wounds, they ate some of the wolf since the dragons already ate their fill earlier in the 3 day hunt. Zack was the first of the group to speak up, "I know Urgals are warlike, but racial? That's just not their type. They also don't attack riders for no reason!"

Naton as usual was a voice of reason "Maybe they came under some leadership, notice that he is in battle dress. He is of the hunters, a searcher, he is a scout for what seems to be a larger army. No Urgal, not even a Kull, would start a war on his own."

Gregory and Beloth, shocked by this, nodded. "If this is true, we must get back to the Haven at…"

Before Gregory could finish his thought Zack's dragon Darkwing muttered a curse "Look the Haven is on fire, if we return it must be with caution."


	3. Evasion and Escape

Evasion and Escape

**I just wish to point out that Chapters 3 and 4 occur roughly at the same time with Chapter 4 starting slightly earlier. Thanks for reading. Drop a review and tell your friends. ~ Holliday. **

**P.S. There is some slight naval vocab used near the end forgive my ignorance. If you don't understand it find a sailor, and DON'T ask me about it.**

The five riders flew as far as they dared, but as they neared the Haven their breath was seemingly sucked out of their lungs. The entire Haven was on fire and everywhere they looked was the blood and bodies of riders slain. "Who would do this?" Ïlethiæ croaked out.

As the group scanned the Haven and the horizon for survivors Beloth spotted the answer to the female Elf's question. "Barzûl! It is the Urgals. Look at that big one!" For he was big even for the Urgals. This specimen was standing at 11 feet tall, a giant even among his brethren. "He has Cuaroc's head on a spear!" Truthfully at the end of the Urgal Captain's pike was the silver giant's dragon like head.

Immediately Gregory knew the number of survivors and what his group must do now. "There are no survivors, we must run to the mainland."

"But how?" Zack questioned fear creeping into his voice.

Naton piped up, "Perhaps the old shipyards will have a few silver battleships left over from the Elven war of religion. We could commandeer one and sail to the mainland. It's too far for our group to fly."

Ïlethiæ steamed up, "THAT WAR NEVER HAPPENED!"

Gregory could see where this was going, and he had to ward it off now before things got worse. "Stop! Stop now!" He and Cuaroc commanded together, there was something about a Dragon backing you up that made sentients take notice of you. "We must work as a team okay. Naton has the only sound idea, we'll go to the shipyards and look for a working ship that can hold all of us. All right?"

"Okay." The team mumbled consent one at a time.

So they flew, with the only place they ever knew as home burning at their backs.

{Several hours and 3 Urgal scouts later the group finally gets a picket battleship into ship shape condition.}

"Avast the timbers and all that sea faring gobblegoock! Are we ready Captain Naton!" Zack bellowed louder than usual, which is preeeetty dang loud.

"Yes, yes we are." Naton smiled, as Erebus helped draw the ancient and heavy anchors up on the newly christened _Hopetreader._ "Let's go!" With that all the dragons drew air into their lungs, and with a mighty roar heaved enough wind into the sail for the _Hopetreader_ to cruise out of the port at a lively clip.


	4. Excerpt from Domina abr Wyrda

_Excerpt From Domina abr Wyrda._

On the Elven war of Religion and the Migration to Alagaësia

{Gathered by an unknown Arcaenan around 9000 AC (After Creation) or 1000 AR (After Rebirth) Known better as the fall of Galbatorix. Oral tradition of the Elves left on the homeland. The Elves on Alagaësia have a different story to tell.}

This is a much debated look on history. The mainland Elves believe that there never was any war, and never any split about religion. It was an experiment in magic gone badly wrong rendering the land unlivable for more than 10,000 years. But I have been to there island it is quite inhabitable. There are Dragons and Riders, Elves and Urgals. These island Elves tell me that in 5000 AC a war began which lasted 200 years. 17 years later the Elves that believed in no gods left the island for the sake of peace. The Elves of the one true God (as they referred to themselves back then) were vastly outnumbered 100 to 1 roughly. Yet they grew quickly and won many decisive battles and prospered against their enemies. If they did not have the favor of a god how did they prosper so well? It is an unanswerable question.

**This isn't really Chapter 4, but is an excerpt that will probably help make sense of the last chapter. Anyway friends drop a review ~ Holliday.**


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